Combination desk-seat unit



Nov. 8, 1955 2,722,965

D. CHAPMAN ET COMBINATION DESK-SEAT UNIT Filed Feb. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l lif'gbara/ dfiez rzemarz m m r 5 E 7 Nov. 8, 1955 CHAPMAN ET AL 2,722,965

COMBINATION DESK-SEAT UNIT Filed Feb. 13, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Irzdrzfons flu i id 6774 0 "2am Fztarv/dfieiaemara United States Patent:

2,722,965 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 r 2,722,965 COMBINATION DESK-SEAT UNIT David Chapman, Chicago, Ill., and Richard G. Reineman,

Muskegon, Mich., assignors to The Brunswick-Ballro- Collender Company The invention relates more particularly to a combination desk-chair unit.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a new and improved desk-chair unitufor school classroom use. 7

Another object is to provide such a unit of simple but sturdy construction and having a minimum of parts adjacent the floor to interfere with cleaning the floor. Another object is to provide a desk-chair unit of a new and improved construction having a desk top, a U-shaped desk leg member having the cross part thereof positioned under the forward edge of the top box and the leg parts extending downwardly therefrom, a chair seat and back, a U-shaped chairleg member having the cross part thereof positioned beneath the chair seat in a direction parallel to the cross part of the desk leg memher and the leg portions thereof extending downwardly and rearwardly from the chair seat and a connecting frame member having a portion at one end thereof secured to the connecting part of the chair leg member and a portion at the other end thereof secured to the connecting part of the desk leg member so that said leg members and connecting member form a rigid stable desk top and chair supporting structure.

Other objects will become readily apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, looking at the left hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view thereof, looking at the left hand end of Fig. 3.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the invention in its preferred form has a desk top comprising a box and a lid 11, a desk leg member providing legs 12 and 13, a chair having a seat 14 and a back 15, a chair leg member providing legs 16 and 17, and a connecting frame member 18 extending between and having its ends secured to the desk leg member and chair leg member.

The box 10 may be of metal whereas the lid 11 is preferably of wood and is hinged along the front edge 19 of the box.

The legs 12 and 13 are tapered from top to bottom and are tubular in form and made of metal. They are integral parts of a metal tube desk leg member, formed into a U-shape and which provides a cross part 20 between the legs. This cross part extends under and is secured to the bottom 21 of the box along its front edge.

The chair legs 16 and 17 are also tapered from top to bottom and tubular in form. They are also made of metal and are integral parts of a metal tube chair leg member, formed into a U-shape, and which provides a cross part 22 between the legs. The legs are preferably inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the chair seat 14 as shown in Fig. 1.

Intermediate the chair leg member and desk leg member is the tubular frame member 18. This member has a part 24 arranged parallel to and against the cross part 22 of the chair leg member, an upwardly inclined part 25 extending to the underside 21 of the box 10 and a somewhat U-shaped portion underlying the bottom of said box. This U-shaped portion has side portions 26 and 27 and a cross part 28, the cross part 28 lying alongside the cross part 20 of the desk leg member. Parts 28 and 20 are rigidly secured together by pairs of plates 22, preferably welded to said parts. Similarly, cross part 22 of the chair leg member is secured to the adjacent end portion 24 of the tubular connecting member by means of plates 30 which are welded thereto.

A pair of seat brackets 31 have their lower edges welded to the cross parts 22 and 24 and have their opposite edges secured by flanges 32 and suitable screws or other attaching devices to the chair seat 14. A U-shaped tubular member 33 forming a part of the chair back 15, has its forwardly extending ends filled with solid metal plugs 33' and welded to the top of the cross parts 22 and 24, thus the chair back is supported directly from the frame structure of the unit and the seat is supported directly on the frame structure independently of the back.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the box 10 is secured to the frame structure by means of a pair of metal strips 34 positioned intermediate the portions 26 and 27 of the connecting member and the bottom of the box. These strips may be secured to the box and frame parts by welding or rivets or other suitable means.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a modified form of the invention has a top also comprising a box 10, a chair seat i i, a back 15, desk leg member providing legs 11 and 12 and a chair leg member providing legs 16 and 17 the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The connecting frame member in this form of the invention however is so arranged that a pupil may enter and leave the desk-seat unit from either side. Thus a tubular connecting frame member 40 has one end 41 welded to a short cross tube 48 which in turn is fastened to the cross part 22 of the chair leg member by plates 30 welded thereto. The connecting frame member is somewhat U-shaped as shown in Fig. 3 and has one leg portion 42 extending downwardly from the chair seat to a position adjacent to the floor, a floor portion 43 extending to the left along the floor and a front leg portion 44 extending upwardly so that this end of the frame member reaches a position immediately under the box. There it is welded to the cross part 45 of a U-shaped tubular member having side portions 46 and 47 underlying and secured to the bottom of the box to form a support therefor. Here again the cross part 29 of the desk leg member and the cross part 45 are secured rigidly together by means of a pair of plates 29 welded thereto.

In this form of the invention also the chair seat and chair back are independently supported directly on the frame structure, the chair back by means of a U-shaped member 33 having its forward ends welded to the cross parts 2t) and 48. The seat 14 has a hollow metal pan 59 secured thereto which is secured to the cross parts 26 and 48 by means of welding.

We claim:

1. A desk-chair unit having, in combination, a desk top, a chair seat and back, and a supporting leg structure comprising a U-shaped metal tube desk leg member positioned with the cross part under the front portion of the bottom of the top and parallel to the front edge thereof and with the legs extending downwardly therefrom, a U-shaped metal tube chair leg member positioned with the cross part under the chair seat and secured thereto in a position somewhat parallel to the cross part Q Q of the desk leg member and with the legs thereof extending downwardly and rearwardly from the chair seat, and a tubular connecting frame member having a portion at one end thereof extending generally parallel to the cross part of the desk leg member and a portion at the other end thereof extending generally parallel to the cross part of the chair leg member, plate means interconnecting said portions to the desk leg member and chair leg member, respectively, so that said desk leg member, seat leg member, and tubular connecting frame member form a rigid stable structure.

2. A desk-chair unit having, in combination, a desk top comprising a box, a chair seat and back, and a supporting leg structure comprising a U-shaped metal tube desk leg member positioned with the cross part under the front portion of the bottom of the top and parallel to the front edge thereof and with the legs extending downwardly therefrom, a U-shaped metal tube chair leg member positioned with the cross part under the chair seat and secured thereto in a position somewhat parallel to the cross part of the desk leg member and with the legs thereof extending downwardly and rearwardly from the chair seat, and a tubular connecting frame member having one end portion bent parallel to and extending alongside the cross part of said chair leg member, an intermediate portion extending upwardly from one side edge of the chair seat to the same side edge of the underside of the top, and a U-shaped portion underlying the desk top with the cross part of the U parallel to and extending alongside the cross part of the desk leg member, and plate means fastened to said end portion and chair leg member cross part and to the cross parts of the U-shaped portion and desk leg member to join the leg structure and connecting frame member into a unitary structure.

3. A desk-chair unit having, in combination, a desk top, a chair seat and back, and a supporting leg structure comprising a U-shaped metal tube desk leg member positioned with the cross part under the front portion of the bottom of the top and parallel to the front edge thereof and with the legs extending downwardly therefrom, a U-shaped metal tube chair leg member positioned with the cross part under the chair seat and secured thereto in a position somewhat parallel to the cross part of the desk leg member and with the legs thereof extending downwardly and rearwardly from the chair seat, a cross tube secured to the cross part of the chair leg member, a tubular connecting member having one end secured to the cross tube, an intermediate portion extending downwardly from the chair seat to a position closely adjacent a floor then forwardly to a position under the top and then upwardly to the bottom of the top adjacent to the front edge thereof and a U-shaped tubular member secured to the upper end of said intermediate portion and to the cross part of the desk leg member and to the top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,627 Thum Aug. 22, 1916 2,102,261 Fotre Dec. 14, 1937 2,400,779 Pearle May 21, 1946 2,521,160 Green Sept. 5, 1950 2,577,438 Sussman Dec. 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 183,967 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1936 914,627 France Oct. 14, 1946 992,519 France Oct. 19, 1951 

